SUNRISE, Fla. – Sunrise police have made a big mail theft bust this week, highlighting a problem that continues to plague the post office and unsuspecting residents across South Florida.
“His vehicle was filled with over 800 pieces of mail,” said Sunrise Police Officer Justin Yarborough.
Officers arrested Andy Louis, of Lauderdale Lakes, after he was caught red handed at a multi-unit corporate mailbox off Northwest 46th Street in Sunrise.
He was wearing all black clothing, including a balaclava to hide his face.
Officers said he jumped in his car and took off, side-swiping a police vehicle in the process, but he was caught after a brief pursuit.
A search of Louis’ car revealed a large amount of mail from different addresses from the surrounding area, and some from the city of Plantation.
“The amount of mail rose from the floor board to about four inches above the rear seats of the vehicle,” read the police report.
Detectives also found a USPS master key and several credit cards loose under the driver’s seat, as well as other face masks and gloves.
U.S. Postal Service Police is still investigating alongside the Sunrise Police Department.
Sunrise officers are stepping up patrols, looking to combat the problem, which has been featured in several Local 10 News investigations.
Residents like Bruce Petermann said mail theft is almost a weekly occurrence in his Sunrise neighborhood, off Northwest 35th Street.
“I’ve never seen it this bad,” said Petermann.
His cameras captured thieves hitting his block on June 24, July 22 and July 29.
His neighbors tell Local 10 News they’ve written to city leaders about the problem.
Officers are reminding the public to call in any suspicious activity as they work to gather data.
It helps officers follow trends and pinpoint problematic areas in order to strategically deploy police resources.
Police also said that prevention is key.
Residents should clear their mailboxes before bed and are encouraged to sign up for the USPS Informed Delivery to know what mail is arriving.
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